Another MP defects to government

 ANOTHER Opposition MP has defected to the Government a day after another joined the ruling PNC Party.

Member for Talasea Open and former deputy Speaker of the National Parliament Francis Marus left his PNG Party led by Opposition leader Belden Namah to join the People Resources Party of William Duma, a major coalition partner which has nine parliamentary members.

Welcoming Marus to the party, Duma said he and his deputy Steven Kamma received a petition signed by 1,406 people from Talasea asking the party to allow their MP to be part of the government.

Talasea chief Stanis Bai said most of the leaders had to travel to Port Moresby to deliver the petition and hand over the member to the new party as it was in the interest of the people.

“We believe in the government and the move has given a lot of hope for the people to join the government led by Peter O’Neill,’’ he said.

During a press conference at the parliament B1 conference room last week, Marus said he had to listen to the wished of his constituents and join the party to be in a government that he created while he was a deputy speaker.

He said although it was a very difficult discussion to leave a team, he had to move to help deliver his plans for the people of Talasea.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill also welcomed Marus, member for Komo-Margarima Francis Potape and Lufa MP Jeffery Kuave in Parliament last Friday.

He said the members had decided to join the government willingly and that they were never lured as some think.